Sunday, January 14, 2007

2006 Hiking Report

Alright, so I couldn't wait to share the news that I hit my goal, so this entry is a tad anti-climatic. But nonetheless here are some year end stats for 2006:

Goal: 600 miles

Final total miles: 605 miles

Month with fewest miles: August (19 miles)

Month with the most miles: Tie between November and December (77 miles each) The Big Push!

Longest individual hike: February 24, in Rochester, NY hiked down the Genesee River past R.I.T. and back to our apartment downtown, 15 miles.

So there you are.

My 2007 goal will remain at 600 miles with the only twist being that I'm going to get into the woods and mountains more often and take some weekend trips out of the city. Virginia has lots of great hiking, unfortunately it's all three hours or more away from where I live on the coast.

It's a beautiful, unusually warm and sunny day today, so if you'll excuse me, time to lace up the boots.

OK HW

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

ZANK on Youtube



It's time to put ZANK out to pasture. For those not familiar, ZANK is a short, animated film that I did a few years back for Richmond, Va's Flicker Festival event "Attack of the 50 ft Reels". It was originally shot as an in-camera edit on super8 movie film. The version here has been tightened up a wee bit editing-wise and souped up with an original soundtrack by my good friend Neil Bruce. I entered ZANK in a few film festivals (mostly rejected), but was programmed in The Emerging Filmmakers Series at The Little Theaters in Rochester, NY where it was shown on the big screen. ZANK is a fun little piece for me, but it's time to move on to new things. Enjoy.

OK HW

Saturday, December 30, 2006

600 miles

Tonight, I reached my hiking goal of six hundred miles for the year. Seven miles was all it took, the last of one hundred and forty nine miles since the beginning of November. It's a good kinda tired.

OK HW

Monday, December 25, 2006

Take Him to the Bridge...

Merry Christmas, James Brown is dead. I'm a big fan of JB and will sorely miss him. I'll spare you the cliche's of legend, myth and "true American original". Love him or not, you got to recognize the huge cultural impact that he has had in this country and the world, if anything as a sample source for a million rappers and Eddie Murphy's career. I saw him once in concert, back in 1984 at the Scope arena in downtown Norfolk, Va. I got front row seats and it is one of my favorite concerts of all time. JB did it all that night, the camel walk, the splits, shrugged off the cape a few times and sweated gallons. At the end of the show, the audience rushed the stage and I was right there with them, one of the few white faces in a sea of middle-aged black folks. I got to shake his hand. So, here's a great clip of the man. Enjoy.

   

  JB, thanks' for getting up and doin' your thang. You will be missed brother. zahdah, OK HW

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Happy Holidays

My wife, Janet Shaughnessy did our card this year.
Hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season.

OK HW

Monday, December 11, 2006

November Hiking Report


Things were looking tough for me going into November on the hiking front. My laziness had left me with 149 miles to hike in the last 61 days of the year, so it was time to crank it up a notch or three and pound some sand. Despite all the turkey and football on the tube, I managed to drag myself out and knock down 77 miles to put me at 528 for the year. As of December 1, I had a mere 72 miles to go to hit the goal, I say "had" as I've been chewing hard on that number and it is a good bit smaller now. Some people think it's weird that I do this, that I set a hiking goal and that's o.k. they think what they want. Setting a hard number keeps me honest and motivates my butt to get out and do this thing that keeps my body, mind and soul right. Hiking, art, film, creativity, all of it is connected. If you are an artist or writer and find you're blocked, burned out or just plain disgusted, then lace up your boots and get out into the world. You'll be glad you did.

OK HW

P.S. Hello Claire!